Babies
by scottiegal2012
Summary: Kevin's just learned he's not going to be the baby anymore and he's not happy about it. Just a Kevin-centric ficlet. Now Two Parts, Just Because
1. Babies Part One

Story: Babies  
Characters: Kevin, Helen/Bobby  
Rating: K  
Summary: Kevin's just learned he's not going to be the baby anymore and he's not happy about it. Just a Kevin-centric ficlet.

"But I'm the baby, Mommy!" Kevin was barely tall enough to see over the counter at what Mommy was making for dinner. He pushed himself up on his tiny bare toes. Onions. "Yuck."

"Leave your mother alone, Kevin."

Kevin was still on his toes, but he was looking at Dad in his big green chair by the dining room table. He had his newspaper out and a pencil with pink writing on it. Mommy's pencil. "Dadda, I don't like that and I don't want a baby."

Dad put the paper on the hutch next to him and chewed on the eraser while he watched Kevin. "Too late."

Mommy was smiling now. "For onions or the baby, Bobby?"

"Both." He laughed and set the pencil back on her crossword book right next to his chair. He only let Mommy sit in his chair when she was tired. She'd been there a lot lately. He stood up and walked over to them. "Son, Jimmy was mad when Tommy was born." He knelt down in front of Kevin and took his hands with his bigger ones. "They're friends now."

Kevin dropped off his toes to his heels and than knelt down like Dad was doing. He put his elbows on Dad's knees and grinned up at him. "They fight, Dadda."

"Everybody fights, Kev. Sometimes Mommy and I fight."

"Yep." Kevin tipped his head way back so he could see Mommy. She was done cutting the onions. "She gets mad at you when you put mud on the carpet."

"Among other things." Mommy smiled back and handed him a little piece of cheese.

He took it with a big grin and focused back on Dad.

"And, when you came along Tommy wasn't very happy. Now he's excited to play with you and teach you things while you grow up."

"Dadda, I _want _to _not_ have a baby."

Dad sighed and stood back up. He put his hands on his hips and looked down at Kevin. "Tough, Lucky. Mommy's got the baby inside of her tummy already."

Kevin stuck his lip out as far as he could. "When that baby moved upstairs Mommy played with him a lot! Than I'm going to be very lonely with a extra baby."

Mommy knelt down slowly so she could look into Kevin's eyes. "Sweet heart, baby Joey is very lonely too. He doesn't have any brothers to play with him and his Mommy is too busy."

"Too drunk." Dad sounded _very mad_.

It made Kevin jump and he looked up at Dad.

"Bobby… don't." Mommy turned Kevin's face back to her. "Kevin, I have lots of time for you. You need to come to me and tell me you want to play, or to read."

Dad lifted Kevin up from behind and turned him around in the air, hugging him tight. "You'll always be my lucky, right?"

"Yes." Kevin smiled big.

It was Mommy's turn to tip toe so she could reach to kiss Kevin's cheek. Dad made him very tall. "Do you want to help me mix the dough?"

"Yes, Mommy."

Dad plopped him down at the table and went back to his paper. "Blue Velvet. Someone can't let go ey?"

Mommy put the bowl in front of Kevin and tied a big apron around him. "Guess not."

"Thank you, thank you very much."

Mommy smacked dad with her dish cloth and they were laughing.

Kevin laughed too, but he didn't get it. "Dadda, are they biggest horses?"

"Horses, Kevin?"

"Yes, the one that pays you the bucks."

Mommy leaned down to Dad. "And you swear they don't pay attention to your gambling."

"I guess they do. Kevin at least." Dad chewed on the eraser again. "Yeah, Kevin… they're pretty big horses. Mostly Momma horses."

Kevin was smiling at Dad. He looked funny when he was surprised.

"Yell down, Bobby. They need to do some chores and shower before dinner."

"Blue Velvet." Dad circled the name and stood up, stretching very slowly until Mommy came closer with the rag. "Oh, Helen…" He laughed as he backed up, hands in the air.

She laughed and cracked the rag on his arm.

"Woah, that hurt, Babe!" He was still laughing.

Kevin crinkled his nose. It hurt, but Mommy kept doing it and Dad thought it was funny.

"Don't whine!" Mommy smiled as she went back into the kitchen, but Dad caught her and pulled her back.

"Who's whining?" He leaned her back.

She smacked his arm. "Don't think cause I'm pregnant I'll be anything but hard on you. Go get them!"

"I wouldn't dare think such things." He stood her back up and laughed all the way out the apartment.

"Mommy, does Tommy know there's a baby? And Jimmy?"

Mommy picked up her glass of ice water and leaned on the table. She watched Kevin pounding the whisk straight down into the dough. "Do you want me to take over?"

"No… no… I'm - uh strong!" He grunted through his announcement as he pounded it.

"Daddy told them last night after you went to bed."

"I don't want a baby." He looked like he was going to cry now and he stopped mixing. He was staring down into the bowl.

"You don't have a choice, Pal." She pushed his wavy blond hair out of his eyes.

"I know." His blue eyes looked up at her through a couple of tears.

"You do?"

"You can't stop a baby, Mommy!" He laughed at her and wiped his eyes. "You have to mix it, Momma, I can't do it."

"I thought you were a big strong boy?" Mommy pulled him up off the chair and held him tight.

He cuddled against her and took a shaky breath. "I'm gonna stop crying, Mommy. I'm gonna be a big brother!" He turned his face up and smiled, just one tear left. "But, only if you still love me."

She wiped that tear away and kissed his cheeks hard making him laugh. "I love you and your brothers more than anything, Kevin. And you know what? You're going to be the best big brother ever."

"Mommy…" He whispered with a big grin. "If you don't finish mixing it's not gonna be ready for dinner."

She set him down so his feet hit the chair and he sat hard, making a face at the dough.

"When I'm big I'll make it all by myself for you, Mommy!"

She picked up the bowl and kissed the top of his head. "I'll remember that promise."

Kevin turned around kneeling backwards on the chair to watch Mommy. He looked over when he heard the door and watched Dad come in, two muddy big brothers with him.

"Shower first before _I _get in trouble for the mud." Dad winked at Kevin as he pushed the two boys into their room.

Jimmy was laughing and had his arm over Tommy's shoulder.

Kevin looked up at Mommy. "I'll be the big one."

Mommy looked back over while she pulled the dough out of the bowl and put it on a tray. "Are you asking me, or telling me?"

"You'll be the big brother!" Jimmy yelled over coming out with a towel and his bathrobe. "Are you ready?"

Kevin shook his head. "Not yet."

"You have time, Buddy. It takes a while for the baby to be born." Jimmy ruffled Kevin's hair and went to the bathroom for his shower.

"Lots of time?"

Mommy put the dough ball in the oven with the _onion_ casserole and closed the door. She hung up the apron and sat down on the arm of Dad's chair. "You'll be four already before he's born."

"That's long. That's after Christmas, Mommy."

Mommy smiled. "Yes… about a month after Christmas."

Dad leaned his head on Mommy's arm and kissed her elbow.

"Dadda, that's silly." Kevin was still kneeling and he grinned at _his_ Mommy and Dad.

"I like being silly." Dad kissed Mommy's finger too and smiled at up at her.

Mommy _actually_ smiled back and kissed him nicely.

Kevin laughed hard. Sometimes _his_ Mommy and Dad were both silly. He held his small arms up and Mommy stood to scoop him up.

"You feeling better, Sweetheart?"

"Yes." He hugged her tight around her neck and reach for Dad too.

He stood up and hugged them both, giving Kevin a kiss on the forehead. "We love you, Lucky."

_Fin_


	2. Babies Part Two

Kevin was as quiet as a four year old could possibly be. It was cold in the hospital and the doctors all ran around looking very busy. Dad brought Mommy to the hospital in the middle of the night. She was crying bad. Kevin hated when Mommy cried.

Uncle Huey was sitting next to the door reading a magazine. He was watching them while Mommy and Dad were in another room.

Tommy and Jimmy were playing checkers on the floor. They didn't look upset like Kevin felt.

Kevin looked up at the clock again. He didn't know what time it was, but he did know the little hand had moved over a couple of numbers already. He jumped when Dad came through the door.

"Hey, Lucky, you doing okay?" Dad sat down next to Kevin and put his big arm on Kevin's shoulders.

"I want to see Mommy."

"I know, Kev, but Mommy's getting ready to have the baby, you'll have to wait."

"Dadda, is it gonna be long?" Kevin put both of his hands on Dad's knee and looked up at him.

"Maybe. Sometimes babies take a very long time, but we'll see." Dad stood up and said something to Uncle Huey and than moved one of Jimmy's checkers pieces, just to be funny. Than he left the waiting room.

Kevin swung his feet a little and than stood up. "Uncle Huey, I'm just gonna go to the bathroom."

Huey peaked out the door to see how far the Men's Room was and than nodded. "Go ahead, Kevin."

Kevin ran down the hall to the bathroom and right past it. He wanted to find Mommy. She was sad. He passed where the nurse's were and stopped in front of the desk.

"Are you lost, Little Guy?" A nurse was peaking over.

"Nope. Just going to the bathroom." Kevin didn't lie well, but he had to for Mommy.

The nurse smiled and pointed to a different bathroom. "Right there."

Kevin smiled back and ran to that door. When the nurse wasn't looking anymore, he went past that one too. Around the next corner was Dad, talking to a Doctor. Kevin stayed close to the wall and tried to listen, but there was too much noise from all the different rooms and monitors. _Where's Mommy_?

"Bobby?" Mommy was standing in the doorway now.

Dad smiled at her and pulled her closer, giving her a very long hug.

The Doctor said something to Mommy and walked away.

Dad took Mommy's hand and walked back into the room with her.

Kevin smiled, he knew where Mommy was now, but she still looked sad. He took a couple of steps and was in the doorway.

Dad was sitting on a little chair by the bed and Mommy was kneeling on the floor, her head on Dad's lap. He was talking to a nurse with his hand on Mommy's back.

Kevin twisted his face trying to figure out what was happening. He knew Mommy was having the baby, but that was it. He hid behind the door while the nurse walked out and than peaked around again.

Mommy was sitting back now. She was still holding onto Dad's hands and she was crying more.

Kevin couldn't take it anymore. He ran around the corner and wrapped his arms around Mommy's neck.

"Where'd you come from?" She whispered hugging him back.

"I didn't want you to be sad, Mommy!" Kevin had tears streaming down his face too.

"I'm not sad, Pal." She whispered in his ear.

Dad stood and picked Kevin up and Mommy got off the floor slowly, using Dad's hand.

"Why are you crying?"

Mommy sat in the bed and laid down on her side, a little smile on her face. "Cause it hurts."

"Why?"

"Cause having babies hurts, Kevin. I'll be okay soon." Mommy reached out for Kevin.

Dad put Kevin down on the bed and went around to the other side. He sat down in the other chair and pulled it close, rubbing Mommy's back with his hand.

Uncle Huey poked his head in. "I've been tracking the little guy since he ran right past the bathroom."

Dad laughed and nodded. "Yes, he's a sly one. It's okay, Huey, I'll bring him back out when she's closer."

Huey nodded and left.

Mommy rolled onto her back and grabbed Dad's hand. "Ow… geez!"

Dad held Mommy's hand tight. "Almost there, Helen… take a breath, Baby."

She closed her eyes and did what Dad said.

Kevin watched her closely. When she opened her eyes again he smiled. "Better?"

"For now." She smiled back. "You should go back to the waiting room."

Dad reached over to pick Kevin up.

"Not yet, Dadda!"

"What not yet? We can't wait around all day." Dad picked him up anyway and leaned him down so he could reach Mommy.

"I love you, Kevin." She whispered and kissed him.

"Love you, Mommy. Take a breath." He mimicked Dad when he said it making Mommy smile.

* * *

Kevin waited in the waiting room and the little hand passed more numbers than he could remember. "Tommy, has it been very long?"

Tommy looked up at the clock and than counted his fingers before going back to his drawing. "Yeah, Kev, it's been 7 hours since we got here."

"You guys want to go home and wait for dad to call?" Uncle Huey asked.

"No." Tommy and Jimmy spoke together.

Jimmy laughed. "No, we can wait. We want to see the baby right away."

"No more waiting." A nurse was standing in the doorway. "Your parents are ready for you to come meet your baby brother."

Kevin jumped up and ran past the nurse, Jimmy and Tommy right behind him. He could hear the nurse and Uncle Huey laughing behind him. He slid to a stop in the doorway and could see Mommy sitting up, a tiny baby in her arms. He ran over to the bed and pushed the chair over.

"Slow it down, Lucky, the baby isn't going anywhere." Dad grabbed Kevin and sat him down on the bed.

Mommy held her arm out and pulled Kevin over. "What do you think?"

"He's little, Mommy!"

"Ssh… yes he is." She moved the blanket away from his face so Kevin could see him better.

Tommy and Jimmy leaned against the side of the bed and Jimmy kissed Mommy on her cheek. "Tired, Ma?"

"Just a little. Long day." She smiled at Jimmy.

Dad moved the chair and pointed Jimmy to it. Than he picked the baby up out of Mommy's arms and put him in Jimmy's arms.

Kevin watched patiently while Jimmy held the baby, touching his nose and making baby sounds to him.

After a little while it was Tommy's turn. Tommy sat in that chair and talked to the baby too.

Kevin was getting excited, ready for his turn to hold the baby and he knelt up on the bed.

But the nurse came in. "Visiting hours are over boys. Time to go."

Kevin's heart dropped and his little lip started to shake. Dad picked the baby up out of Tommy's arms and the two big boys walked to the door.

The nurse lifted Kevin out of the bed. "Out you go."

Mommy shook her head. "No, no. He needs to take his turn."

"We're _very_ strict with visiting hours." The nurse cut in firmly. His turn can be tomorrow.

Mommy grabbed Dad's arm. "Do something." She looked _really_ sad now, just like Kevin felt.

Dad nodded and laid the baby in Mommy's arms. He pushed the nurse towards the door where Uncle Huey grabbed her by the shoulder and whispered something angry to her.

Kevin tried to hear, but Dad had picked him up. "They have rules, Lucky, and we're going to break them just for tonight."

Kevin tried to stop his lip from shaking, but it kept moving and he buried his face in Dad's shirt.

"Hey, Sweetheart, it's okay." Mommy moved to the side to make room for Kevin in the bed.

Dad put Kevin down next to her and fixed the blanket to lay across Kevin's lap. "Are you ready to hold you baby brother?"

Kevin nodded, wiping his tears with his sleeve.

Mommy squeezed Kevin's hand and than laid the baby in Kevin's arms, nestling him tight. "His name is Sean."

"Sean." Kevin repeated it and held his arms very still. "I love you, Sean."

Mommy smiled over at Dad.

Dad leaned over the bed and kissed Mommy softly, than he ruffled Kevin's hair. "You happy, Lucky?"

"Yes, Dadda. When is Mommy coming home?"

"Just a few days. They like to watch the baby here and make sure he's healthy before he can come home and Mommy will stay here with him."

"Are you coming home right away?" Kevin looked worried that he might have to be home without Mommy _or_ Dad.

Dad grinned. "In a few hours. I'm going to stay with Mommy until she falls asleep, and than I'll be home."

Kevin smiled happily. "Okay, that's good."


	3. Babies Part Three

The rain fell across the walk and poured off, pooling in big puddles around the street grate on 15th Avenue in an area of New York City known as _Hell's Kitchen, _a violent and corrupt neighborhood. Little Kevin Donnelly didn't care about all that. He just knew his four year old legs could make water splash high if he jumped hard enough.

"You're gonna be soaked and cold." Mommy finally came out of the apartment building, the new baby Sean in her arms with a blanket over his head to keep him dry. "Hold my hand."

Kevin did as he was told, but only after drying his hand on the inside of his coat. Dad told him gentlemen don't use wet hands to hold their mom's hand. She only made him hold her hand until they crossed the street, than she let him walk like a big kid again. There were three streets to Preschool. "How does Dadda's rain song go?"

"Raindrops keep falling on my head -" Mommy laughed at herself and looked down at him. "You know I hate singing."

"Yes. Raindrops! Falling on my head! My eyes are soon red!" He stopped singing and thought about that part. "Mommy, what does it mean?"

"People are sad when in rains." She moved the baby onto her shoulder and fixed the blanket and he started sucking on her hair.

"I like rain. Do you like the rain?"

"Only when I can stay inside with my coffee." She smiled at him and took his hand again. There were always a lot of people on this middle big road.

Kevin knew how big the road was and that everyone had to wait for the w-a-l-k. Mommy said that means walk, but he only knew the W. He wiped his wet face on Mommy's sleeve and sighed. "What happens if we don't wait?"

"We get hit by a car." She paused thinking about the type of traffic that traveled that road. "Or a truck."

Kevin looked back at the road with all seriousness in his voice. "We won't do that than." Kevin started walking with Mommy when the letters came up, but than she pulled him back and into the diner where Jenny's Mommy and Dad worked. "What are we doing? It said w-a-l-k!"

"Yes, it did." Mommy sounded different and she lifted him onto the stool with one arm. "Good morning, Meredith. Have they been in today?"

Mrs. Reilly came over with a fresh coffee pot and poured Mommy a full cup. "Not yet, everything okay?"

"No." She sighed and sat next to Kevin, laying the baby over her knee. He was playing with the blanket and giggling. "I saw our van up there and a little bit more than I should have."

Mrs. Reilly looked down at Kevin. "He _knows_ what time you walk Kev up."

"We can say hi!" Kevin interrupted happily. "To Dadda, Mommy!"

"Shh… don't cut in." Mommy's voice was harsh.

Kevin suddenly remembered the grown up conversation rules and sat quietly, and _not_ pouting. "Excuse me, Mommy?"

Helen had to smile and she shook her head. "Yes, Kevin?"

"Can I have a hot cho-co-late?" His over enunciation made Mrs. Reilly laugh out loud.

"Oh your so cute. It's on me, Helen." She filled a mug and put whipped cream on top. "There you go, Baby."

"Thank you." He grinned as he stuck his finger into the whipped cream and swirled it before pulling it out and licking the sugary cream off.

Mommy put a five dollar bill on the counter and Mrs. Reilly shook her head. "I told you it's on the house today. Besides, to deal with Bobby and four boys… you should be canonized, a coffee is a small gesture."

"And a hot chocolate." Mommy laughed.

"Yeah, yeah." She crossed back to her other two customers.

"Oh, Meredith? Is Jenny having trouble in math?"

Mrs. Reilly nodded as she placed the plates in front of her patrons. "Actually, yeah she is. She keeps blaming the teacher. Tommy is?"

Mommy shrugged. "His homework is cut and dry, but any of his exams, he's getting 30s and 40s. That's an easy F by the end of the period."

"Maybe it really is the teacher. Tommy always says how much he likes math. Weird kid you've got there." She laughed.

"Yeah, well, the other two don't, he was a fluke."

"I'm going to talk to the teacher at the conference, will you be there?"

Mommy shifted the baby in her arms and kissed his forehead. "No, Sean has shots, but Bobby will be there, I'll make sure he says something too."

"Speak of the devil.." Mrs. Reilly mumbled nodding toward the door.

Kevin turned around and grinned with his arms open. "Hi, Dadda!"

Dad picked him up and sat down on his stool, Huey on the other side. "Hey Lucky. Late for school?" He didn't look at Mommy as he said it.

"Yeah, we're having a rainy day drink." He giggled and looked over at Mommy. "She looks mad, Dadda."

"Yeah, I know I know. Helen, it was out of my hands."

Mommy shook her head and leaned over Kevin's head, pressing him against Dad so he couldn't hear. "Your four year old about witnessed a brutal beating. You better make sure it's back in your hands."

Kevin heard more than Mommy thought he did and he tried to pretend he wasn't going to cry.

Dad saw his eyes. "Oh come here, Kev… I'm sorry buddy."

"Did you-get in a - in a fight, Dadda?" Kevin wrapped his little arms around Dad's neck.

"A little one, with a mean guy who doesn't like me. But we fixed things. It's okay now."

Mommy took a deep breath. "I am going to take him home. Please don't let this happen again."

"Yeah, it won't. I'm going to be late tonight, don't wait up."

She nodded and stood up slowly, again moving Sean to her shoulder. She let Dad kiss her cheek and took Kevin's hand.

Mrs. Reilly poured the hot chocolate into a 'go-cup' and stretched over the counter to give it to him. "Have a good day, Baby."

"Thank you, Mrs. Reilly." He mumbled around the straw.

* * *

Kevin was sprawled across the bottom of Mommy's small bed, all of his GI Joes around him while Mommy nursed the baby. The boys were going to be home soon. "Can Jimmy play with me? Oh sorry." He giggled a little when he saw that Mommy had fallen asleep.

"Hey Kevin. Talking to yourself?" Jimmy peeked around the corner, his backpack on his shoulder. "Tommy, Ma fell asleep feeding the baby."

Tommy came around the corner and shushed Jimmy. "Than keep your voice down." He ruffled Kevin's hair and smiled. "Hey, buddy."

"I skipped school." Kevin whispered proudly as he killed another of his guys.

"Cool." Tommy was only half paying attention as he put his arms between Mommy and the baby and picked him up slowly, letting the blanket fall back over her. "Hi, Seannie." He was whispering in the baby's ear and he kicked the metal release on the crib to drop the rail.

"Ma never lowers that thing." Jimmy pointed out.

"No. It's kind of annoying." He leaned over the rail and laid him down in the crib. "Sleep well, little guy."

"When will I be big enough to put him away?" Kevin was kneeling on the edge of the bed watching Tommy.

"You won't be, buddy. When you're big enough to reach he'll be in a big kid bed."

"Oh." Kevin thought about it for a moment before holding his arms up to Tommy. "I want to give him a kiss."

Tommy picked Kevin up and than let him slide out of his arms to the ground. "You're already to big to pick up."

"You guys woke her up." Jimmy cut in, still leaning on the door jam.

"It's fine." Mommy rubbed her eyes and fixed her shirt. She kicked the blankets into the middle of the bed. "What time is it?"

"Almost four." Tommy picked his backpack up and left the room.

"Was he done eating?" Mommy slid her sneakers on and followed the boys into the dining room.

Tommy laughed hard as he dropped his books onto the table. "I don't know, Ma. Let me go ask him, 'yo, Seannie… were you done when I-"

Mommy smacked him on the side of the head. "Smart ass, you're going to do my shopping for that." She pulled the list off of the fridge and handed him the bank envelope with cash in it. "I get a receipt… and change."

"Yes, Ma." He kissed her and took the money.

"Jimmy go with him." She paused as Jimmy ran past. "Coats!"

Dad was coming in around Jimmy's hasty exit. "Where are you-Where are they going?"

Mommy looked up from Jimmy's homework folder. "Groceries. I thought I wasn't waiting up for you, with how late you planned on being?"

Kevin hugged Dad's legs, making him stumble a little.

He smiled down before looking back up and catching Mommy's eyes with his. "Yeah, well… I pissed my wife off this morning, don't you remember? I brought a flower." He pulled a single red rose from behind his back and held it out to her, his lip in a pout.

"Peace offering?" She eyed him.

"Maybe. It _was_ out of my control. Huey told me that's where we were going. And he apologizes."

Mommy shook her head. "Do you know what that would do to him? See you doing that shit?" She whispered the curse, even though Kevin heard it.

Sometimes his Mommy said those things. Sometimes a lot. And he always tried not to giggle.

"Yeah, it'd do about the same thing it did to me…"

Mommy stopped him, holding her hand up. "I know… I'm sorry…" She watched him a moment thinking about how her father-in-law was when he was alive, ten times more vicious and brutal than Bobby. She reached out, almost hesitantly and took the rose. She walked into the kitchen and started going through cabinets to find a vase. "It's just… you've built an amazing life, a wonderful life for us. It would kill me if they ever thought of you…differently."

Dad scooped Kevin off the floor. "Hey Lucky, how was your day off?"

"Dadda, you're taller."

Dad gave him a funny look. "Yeah, probably, but taller than who?"

"Tommy!" Kevin laughed as though Dad should know who. "I wanna kiss Seannie goodnight."

"Seannie?"

Mommy found a thin vase and filled it with water. "It's Tommy's new nickname for him, God only knows what _Seannie_ will go through with the ladies having a nickname like that."

"You don't much think like a mother… ladies? He's 2 weeks old." Dad walked out with Kevin to say goodnight to Sean while Mommy laughed in the kitchen.

She had coffee poured when they got back. "It's sticking…. The name."

"Hmm, yeah, it's cute." He set Kevin down and sat at the head of the table with his coffee.

"Are you happy?" Mommy ruffled Kevin's hair and he nodded. She sat down on the other side of the table next to Dad and laid her head on his arm. "Thank you, it's pretty."

Dad looked at her in surprise. "Is it really? _You_ think so?"

"Shut up, Bobby." She shoved his arm.

"Well, you know you can be a difficult woman to please."

"I've not once tried to tell you otherwise." She leaned back against him and sighed.

"You're right, what was I thinking?" He chuckled softly and laid his head on top of hers. "You know… working late… getting that last dollar, it's not worth it if I don't get to come home to you every night. You know, while you're still awake and I can spend some time with you."

She lifted her head, forcing him to do the same to avoid a bruise. "Bobby, I-that was… that was _sweet_."

He grinned proudly and than leaned close as if to share a secret. "Hey, don't hold your breath for the next time."

She leaned in further and dropped her voice to match his. "I won't."

The words were barely out and he stole a quick kiss making her laugh.

"You're ridiculous. Dinner will be late, I won't have anything to cook until the boys get back." She stood back up and paced around the table before getting to the window and looking out. "I wish this rain would stop."

Kevin looked up. "You said it's okay when you have coffee inside."

She shook her head and glanced back at him. "It is okay, but I like the sunshine more."

Kevin slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Make up your mind!"

"God, he's so much like you, Bobby." She laughed and turned back to look out the window.


End file.
